December 2008 Grocery Challenge

Moniker

I braved the supermarket this morning to get the last few things for Christmas Day - it was manic in there! I went to Waitrose because my DH likes their coleslaw and although I know I could have spent less at Sainsbury's I couldn't face fighting my way round both of them! Also the queue control in Waitrose is very good! Anyway I have updated my signature and am £26 under budget! However, I am not going to declare until next week just in case! I know I will need some more milk and veg before 31st even if we eat out of the freezer from now till the end of the month.

DD1 has arrived and brought me a selection of cheese and a bottle of port - she got the cheese from the market and the port on special (i.e half price) at Tesco's - she's her mother's daughter all right! DD2 and BF arrive tomorrow and I am just about ready - only have to make the chocolate sauce for the ice cream and fill a quiche tomorrow (I made the pastry case yesterday).

So, that's it folks - hope you all have a blessed and peaceful Christmas. Will catch up with everyone after - take care.

Love Moniker

Sylvan

:jHappy Birthday Mrs M:j:beer: Hope you get your lovely cloches (We gardeners are so easy to buy for:D)

I've spent another £17.09 on f&v, milk etc (it's the etc I'm ashamed of:o) so I'm now £17.76 over budget. This ought to have been my last shop this year but we have to take DS4 to the hospital on 29th and I'd like to do a big shop while I have the chance (since we don't like to use the petrol or, at this time of year, risk the roads, unless absolutely necessary). I don't know whether to add it to this month's budget or cheat and call it January's (since all I'll actually need to use before Jan will be the milk, fruit and veg again).

I probably won't be on again till then, so I'll take this opportunity to wish a Happy Christmas to everyone. :xmassign::xmastree::santa2::rudolf:

carolt2

Evening everybody,:hello: just popped on to update signature.

_party_ Happy Birthday Mrs MC


Spent £26.67 in Mr T last night, managed to get quite abit of reduced veg that have now been put in the freezer,
Also popped into Mr M this afternoon and got a few more items there.
I have now got all the things we need from supermarkets for xmas and am hoping not to go into another one until 1st Jan.
Will next week just to be sure.

Have just been looking at my signature and adding up spends this month to the running total for 2008, we have spent £2138.02:eek: this is about £41 a week for 2 adults and 2 cats. I dont feel that this is a bad result but am going to try and reduce it further during the next year.

Mrs MC, can you put me down for £150 for next month please.

echelon101

I am at home most of December and managed to make my food last so I declare a big fat 0 or I would have had I not spent 7 euro on a sandwich + lemon tart at a French airport.

So I declare on 7 Euros which is about £6.50 I think..

Frugaldom

Quick question for all you GC challengers - I stockpiled the litre bottles of savers 'brand' washing up liquid that the stores were selling for around 14p. However, my stockpile of this item has almost disappeared and I can't seem to find anymore. Have the stores all withdrawn it or is it just my local one? Depending on which store, it was priced around 13p to 15p for the big bottle. Help! Cheapest I can find here now is 50p :eek:

Oops! I forgot to write my next month's target in red, so here it is - NYK Media - £100 for January target

teedy23

Hi everyone, well, near the end of the year and we,ve all survived again. I haven't been in the challenge for the last couple of months but I know I will need to get in about it in January. I will try for £45.00 again, dont know how more difficult this will be , with rising prices ect but I,ll give it a good shot. I wish you all the bestest Christmas ever.xx

sistercas

happy birthday Mrs MC hope you have a lovely day x

Declaring at £452 bug*er!! well over

would like to go for £300 in January
thanks Mrs MC

gailey_2

Right have lost plot now I n=initailly said at beginning of decemebr that I wnated 250 to be my tarhet bit naive as tahstw hat we normally spend each month plus we were so dire we completly ate anything edible out of freezer and store cupbpard I evn resorted to lentil chilli con carne and lentil and paxo burgers so was desperate.
Because freezer was empty and all basics had run out im guessing we spent £80-£100 just restocking freezer with basics liek chips,frozen bveg and basic store supboard items like pasaata/tins tomatoes, dried pasta ect and baking stugg before we brough fresh/meat and produce so I Knew 250 was unrealistic but was hoping 50quid be enough and [EMAIL="stick@£300"]stick@£300[/EMAIL] but we dident have any meat for xmas day.
Me and oh decided against expense or turkey so went to lidls and got
goose breast(like small turkey crown) £9.99
frozen whole leg of lamb £8
Largish free range chicken £6
Mad purchase frozen lobster 4.99! never tried lobster not sure how to cook it but will find a recipie

Also got smoked salmon in sainsbury total £34 on meat and fish
price of small free range turkey in sainsburys £30+ so yes spent same but got so much more for my money
I chose free range which is more pricey but goose is free rangechicken is free range and lam roams the land so a happy sensible comprimise.
Was quite impressed with lidls as fruita nd veg cheap ended up spending £70 lidls got whole trolly full and further £55 in sainsburys as was buying stuff to make homemade gingerbread and shortbread as presents.

So total spent 375/250 £125 overspend

I will do better in january want to keep to £200 a month in 2009 as want to be debt free. Hopefully have enough leftovers in house to last us beyond next pay day.

Im off to morrisions tommorow afternoon to get as many reduced bargains as possible to freeze as could be huge savings in long run.

Good luck everyone best advice is set realistic amount and cut back gradually.

Merry xmas everyone have fun.

sharronej

okay the budget has now been used up - hopefully I won't need anything else but in the event that I do it shouldn't be more than a tenners worth. If only I was so positive about the amount I've spent on presents - I'll have to work on that for next year!

Blairweech

Okay, here is a challenge for you all

Before I leave for my 5 day break tomorrow, I could do with using up..

1 chicken breast
1 large potato (I have more, just this one is peeled)
2 wrinkly peppers
1 egg
1/2 tin of beans

So far I have come up with chicken sandwhich, spanish omelette (not sure if 1 egg will cover that lot), beans on toast, chicken pasta salad

Any ideas?